Bob Flanigan

Bob Flanigan(Robert Lee Flanigan),
(born Aug. 22, 1926, Greencastle, Ind.—died May 15, 2011, Las Vegas, Nev.), American singer who cofounded (1948) the close-harmony group the Four Freshmen while attending Butler University, Indianapolis, and served as its lead vocalist, as well as trombonist and string bassist, for more than 40 years. The group, which originally consisted of Flanigan’s cousins Don Barbour and Ross Barbour and a friend, Hal Kratzsch, was known for its sophisticated blended harmonies and the ability of its members to play musical instruments, an unusual circumstance for a 1950s vocal group. The quartet’s jazzy singing style influenced several later ... (100 of 179 words)